Prologue: The Girl With the Red Hair
"This everything?"
"Everything that strange store owner said we would need."
"Guys? Maybe we should turn back?"
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked back at Sweetie and glared. Apple Bloom walked over to her. "Really Sweetie? You'd rather go back down to town where everyone else hates us? Not a chance. We're staying."
Sweetie Belle put her hand to the back of her head. "I don't know guys. We definitely need a break but I don't think climbing a mountain is the best way to go about that. Why not just run off to Canterlot for a few days?"
Scootaloo stepped up next to Apple Bloom. "You've heard the legends Sweetie. This mountain changes people. We need to give it a shot."
"I know. It's just that I've heard that not many people have ever made it all the way to the top."
the girls all paused and looked to the top of the mountain. The summit was completely obstructed by clouds. "Forget it Sweetie. If you don't want to come with us then head back to the inn at the base. But we're going. Right Apple Bloom?" Apple Bloom nodded at Scootaloo. "I've heard this mountain gives people strange powers. And there's an internal journey involved that can be completely unique to the climber!"
Apple Bloom sighed. "I swear to Celestia, Scootaloo. If you don't stop quoting Reddit posts, I'm going to smack you off a cliff face. What she's trying to say Sweetie is that this adventure is gonna change your life. You can always stop if you don't want to go farther. We won't judge you. Just give it a try."
"She won't judge you," Scootaloo mumbled with a smirk, which quickly disappeared as she received a quick elbow to the ribs from Apple Bloom. "Oh come on Bloom! I was just joking!"
Sweetie looked down to her side for a second. "I don't know." She kicked her foot in the snow for a second. "I guess I'll try."
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom smiled and began running up the slope to the mountain path. The second they passed the danger sign, snow began falling at a heavy rate.
"What the hell?" Scootaloo asked throwing her hand in front of her face. "How the hell did that happen? It was clear just a second ago! It's like magic!"
Apple Bloom yelled back over the now howling winds. "Shut up Scootaloo! There's no such thing as weather magic! That's the pegasi's job! Let's just find some sort of jagged rock or upward cliff to shield us from the wind and snow!"
The trio trudged up through the deepening snow until they caught sight of an orange glow rising through the pure white that filled their vision. "Fire!" Sweetie yelled. "There must be someone there who can help."
The trio began running towards the glow, fighting hard against the snow and the wind biting at their faces. Scootaloo put her hand up to shield herself. Apple Bloom pushed forward while gritting her teeth. Sweetie Belle buried her head in her coat's hoodie and bit down on the rim.
"Guys! Are we sure this is a good idea? These winds are really strong. Who knows how bad it will be on top of the mountain?"
Apple Bloom raised her hand to the others. "Follow my lead girls! Pull the pickaxes off your belts!" All of the girls did so. "Now, dig them into the snow and ice and use it to pull yourself forward!"
With this newfound strategy. The girls found themselves moving faster. They were rapidly approaching the orange glow. Forty feet. Thirty feet.
Suddenly, Sweetie and Apple Bloom heard a crack coming from their left side. Scootaloo slammed her pickaxe into the ground and the ice underneath her gave way. "Guys! Help!" Scootaloo caught herself on the side of the newly formed sinkhole which was beginning to crack underneath her hand under her weight.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie rushed over and grabbed her hand and pulled back. Another crack in the ice formed underneath Sweetie. "Quick!" Apple Bloom yelled. "Rotate!" Sweetie and Apple Bloom rotated themselves so Sweetie was off the crack and they finished pulling Scootaloo up.
The girls scrambled away from the hole and caught their breaths before continuing to move.
"Thanks girls. Who know what would've happened if you weren't there."
Sweetie, still breathing heavily, said, "Don't mention it. We weren't just gonna let you die."
Finally, the girls arrived to the orange glow where they found an old cabin that looked like it had been constructed a long time ago. Quickly, Sweetie scrambled to the door and banged on it three times. "Please open up! It's bad out here!"
The door opened and a woman in a blue coat with strawberry red hair stood there, looking down at the girls. "God, child I heard the banging I don't need to hear you fucking screaming at me. What are you all doing here?"
Apple Bloom stepped up to the door. "We're climbing the mountain. But this storm hit the second we got here. We just need shelter or something!"
The Woman sighed. "Fuckin hell. Kids these days and their stupid ideas. Come in I guess."
The three girls raced inside and immediately ran to the fire they saw burning on the other side of the room. "Thank you so much Miss!" Scootaloo said. "We won't forget this!"
The woman stood with her hand on her hip. "Do I really look old enough to be a Miss?" She sighed. "Call me Madeline." She walked over to a chair sitting in front of the fire and sat down. "So what makes you dumb enough to climb this mountain? Only the crazy and the depressed wanna climb here. Half of them only want to so they can throw themselves off with no chance of survival."
"Damn." Apple Bloom elbowed Scootaloo in the side. Scootaloo threw her hands up. "What? I'm just saying, that's a little dark."
"We came from the town about two miles from the base of the mountain. We just need to clear our heads for a bit. We kinda pulled a wild stunt that made the town a little angry at us."
Madeline leaned against the fireplace. "If you came all the way out here, I'd imagine they were more than just a little angry. What did you even do."
Sweetie Belle shook her head, not saying a word. Scootaloo piped in with, "I've chosen to repress the memory," to which Apple Bloom frowned and nodded, closing her eyes.
"Damn, sounds serious. Well, listen girls, and listen carefully." The three girls leaned in closer. "I'm never gonna be able to talk you out of this climb if your heart really wishes for the summit. I should know." She went silent for a second causing Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to exchange concerned glances. "However, this journey isn't for the faint of heart. You seem well equipped but even with the right equipment, this is the most dangerous climb you're ever gonna undertake. If there's even the slightest bit of doubt inside any of you, it can manifest itself in ways you won't even be able to imagine while you're up there. If any of you are having your doubts, I would suggest turning back immediately."
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other and then back to Madeline. "We're not afraid of anything. We know we can do this." Sweetie said nothing, but nodded.
Madeline knelt down in front of where Sweetie was sitting. "You seem unsure. Do you really think this is a task you can undertake?" Sweetie sighed and nodded, closing her eyes. Madeline shrugged. "If you say so."
She turned to the entire group. "Now, this storm should pass overnight. You won't want to climb in this weather. I suggest you all stay here for the night. I'll see to it that you all make it to tomorrow."
Apple Bloom stood and walked to Madeline. "Thank you so much for your kindness. But if I may ask, why help us?"
Madeline walked over and took a picture frame off of the fireplace. Apple Bloom couldn't perfectly make out what was on it but she saw a green figure standing in front of a cabin that looked similar to the cabin they were currently staying in. "Let's just call it paying the deed forward."
Apple Bloom tilted her head but Madeline didn't elaborate. Instead, she walked into the next room over and emerged with three sleeping bags and no picture. "You all can stay in front of the fireplace tonight. I'm heading to bed for the night. I suggest getting a good night's sleep. You're gonna need it." With that, Madeline walked into the other room. The girls heard the click of a lock.
As the girls rolled out their sleeping bags, they discussed the events of their climb thus far. "I'm just saying girls, we've tried a lot of things in the past to get our cutie marks but now that we're doing something without that specific goal in mind, it actually seems really dangerous."
Scootalooheld up her hand to silence her friend. "Hang on Sweetie. You've been willing to try the most outrageous stuff known to any living creature ever, but rock climbing scares you?"
Sweetie softly hit her hand on the ground in protest. "It's not just rock climbing! This is a whole mountain! Don't you both realize how dangerous this is?"
Scootaloo sighed. "Again Sweetie, we aren't forcing you to do anything. You can stay here if you want."
Sweetie huffed. "No. If I weren't there earlier, there's a good chance you could already be dead. I'm just saying, there's no shame in turning back."
"We'll be fine Sweetie. We should take Madeline's advice. We need sleep."
With that, the girls fell asleep by the dying embers of the fire."
* * * * *
Apple Bloom awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of the howling storm still raging outside. Her throat was dry and she wriggled out of her tight sleeping bag to get a drink of water. She searched around and eventually found a cup in a cupboard above the sink. As she quietly filled up the cup in the sink, her ears picked up on a noise coming from Madeline's room.
She walked over and put her ear to the door as she listened. She heard two voices coming from the room. Madeline's and a voice that sounded just like Madeline's. But more...sinister? That couldn't be the right description, Apple Bloom thought to herself but it was the only description her mind could come up with.
"I like the looks of that girl." She heard the sinister voice say.
"Which one?" Madeline retorted. "The yellow one with the slight country twang or the spunky orange one?"
"No no. The quiet white one. She seems to have great potential."
"Yeah sure. Mt. Celeste will chew that up and spit it right out."
A slight chuckle from the unfamiliar voice. "Still speaking from experience darling?"
"I'm serious Bee, I'm worried they might not have the strength to make it to the top."
Apple Bloom heard squeaking on the bed, which she assumed meant someone was shifting. "I told you to stop calling me Bee. I have a name you know. Use it."
"Nah too much of a mouthful."
Madeline's laugh was quiet, but enough to earn an audible punch to the chest. "Ow! Son of a bitch. You really hit like a truck you know that?"
Another dark chuckle. "Whatever, you may wanna check on your guests. One seems to be listening in."
There were more squeaks on the bed which melted into footsteps on the floor. A hissing sound was heard as Apple Bloom darted away from the bedroom door and grabbed the cup of water she had gotten herself. Madeline emerged from the bedroom and met Apple Bloom's eyes.
Apple Bloom placed the cup on the counter. "Sorry, I hope you don't mind. I got thirsty."
Madeline put on a smile that Apple Bloom noticed was incredibly fake. "Not a problem at all dear. Just head back to sleep."
Apple Bloom nodded, finished the glass, and walked back over to her bed. Even after Madeline had returned to her bedroom, Apple Bloom stayed awake.
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.
* * * * *
"We've been searching all day. It's no use, girls."
Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had all gathered in the barn at Sweet Apple Orchard.
"I really don't know where they would've run off to."
"Goodness, Darling, I have no idea either. I understand they must feel terrible about what happened to poor Fluttershy but there was no need to run away."
Applejack shook her head. "Listen y'all, We need to find a better way to search tomorrow if we're gonna find them. Rainbow, you take to the skies. Rarity, try using that tracking spell of yours, I'll consult around Ponyville to see if anyone saw them."
The three nodded and proceeded to roll sleeping bags out in the barn loft. "There," Rarity said. "Reminds you of childhood sleepovers does it not?"
Applejack laughed a little and laid down in her bag. She mumbled to herself, "I promise Apple Bloom. I'll find you."
* * * * *
"Alright girls, that should be more than enough food to get you all the way to the summit."
The girls thanked Madeline and walked away in the now slowly falling snow, their bags much heavier than when they entered the cabin.
Madeline watched out her window as the girls disappeared into the falling snow's fog. She heard a hissing sound behind her. She swiveled. "I was wondering how long you would take to come back."
"Yeah yeah, they're on their way to the forsaken city?"
Madeline nodded. "By my estimate, they should reach the city by noon. hopefully they'll be at the temple by nightfall and they'll take shelter there."
"You hadn't even reached the temple by nightfall on your first day. You're pushing their pace faster than your own aren't you?"
Madeline laughed a little and put a finger to her lips. "Shhh I won't tell if you won't. You know your job here right?"
"Follow them and don't be seen?"
Madeline nodded. A hissing sound behind her told her that her companion had disappeared.
"I'll see you at Golden Ridge. Remember, keep a close watch. If one of them even breathes, I want to know who, when, and why..."
(To be continued in chapter 1: The Forsaken City)